Rail and rail-joint for street-railroads



2 M A H X 0 M l A RAIL RAIL JOINT FOR STRBET RAILROADS.

Patented Oot. 23, 1888..

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N. PETERS, Fhmolzmu n nur, wamn tan. D. C.

2 SheetsSheet 2.

(No ModeL) A. J. MO XHAM. RAILAND RAIL JOINT FOR STREET RAILROADS.

Patentgd 001:. 23, 1888.

Witnesses J N PETERS, Phnwuthn m mr, Washin mn, n. a

Usurnn STATES ARTHUR J. MOXHAM, OF JOHNSTO\VN, PENNSYLVANIA.

RAIL AND RAIL-JOINT FOR $TREET- -RAILROADS.

$PECIPICAIION forming part of Letters Patent No. 391,5 i9, dated October 23, 1888.

Application filed March 29, 1887. Serial No. 232,919. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern-.-

Be it known that I, ARTHUR J. MOXHAM, of Johnstown, in the county of Oambria and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Rail and Rail-Joint for StreetRailroads, which invention is fully set forth and illustrated in the following specification and accompanying drawings.

The object of this invention is to dispense with bolts andkeys and similar fastenings for connecting the rails and chairs together.

The invention consists of the parts and combinations of parts hereinafter described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 shows a cross-section through a rail and its splice-bar. Fig. 2 shows the rail of Fig. l in side elevation. Fig. 3 illustrates in perspective the rail shown in the preceding figures mounted upon a chair forming the subject of a part of this invention. Fig. 4 illustrates the rail, above illustrated, in full-length side elevation, secured to cross-ties in track by the chairs illustrated in Fig. 3. Fig. 5 illustrates in cross-section a modification of the rail and joint shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 6 shows in side elevation the rail illustrated in the preceding figure. Fig. 7 illustrates in perspective a rail having the same web,but adifferent head from the rail shown in Figs. 5 and 6, and mounted upon a modification of the chair shown in Fig. 3. Fig. 8 shows in side elevation a full length rail like that illustrated in Fig. 7, and mounted upon chairs, like that shown in said figure, which chairs are secured to ordinary crossties. (Shown in cross-section.)

In said figures the several parts are indicated by letters of reference, which said parts will now be described, as follows:

The form of head of the rail used is immaterial, the essential point being avertical web with a fillet on one or both sides of the extremity of the web of the rail, preferably on both sides of the bottom of the web, because this construction admits of the use of two splice-bars at the joints where the rails abut, such a joint being shown in Fig. 1, whereas but one splice-bar can be used when the rail is provided with but a single fillet, as shown in Fig. 5.

From Figs. 3 and 7 it can readily be seen that the form of chair is such that when a chair is slipped on from either end of the rail it will rigidly hold the rail and must clamp over the fillet or fillets on the bottom of the web of the rail and against or under thehead of the rail, thus securing afit which clamps like a splice bar fit. The braces D are advantageously used, though not a necessity, and the beveled form of the chair supporting the under surface of the head of the rail is also preferable, but not a necessity. In slipping such chairs on the rails it is found that greater clearance must be given if the chair is to be slipped from end of the rail to its center than would be the case if the chair were to be slipped only a shorter distance. Such shorter distance for moving said chairs is obtained in this invention by cutting away the web, or rather the filleted part of the web, of the rail, as shown at f, Fig. 6, and at B, Fig. 2. Each chair can thus be slipped on the rail at anydesircd point without the necessity of along movement upon the rail. As illustrated in the drawings, each intermediate chair is pushed up over the web, which easily enters said chair, which chair is then' moved sidewise to the desired point. With the amount of side motion permissible in the arrangement shown in Figs. 4 and 8 only two points of the web of the rail need be sheared, for the extreme chairs can be slipped over the web from the ends of the rails and the intermediate chairs slipped on the webs from their sheared points f f and B B, thus securing a reasonably small necessary limit of movement for each chair.

The modification of chair shown in Fig. 7 reduces the necessary amount of web or fillet to be sheared away to a minimum, for the outside brace or side of the chair is of full width; but theinside part or keeper,G, is much narrower. In practice the tendency of all rails is to incline outward, and the consequent thrust of the rail is supported by the fullwidth portion of the chair, (shown in Fig. 7,) while the narrower portion or keeper G performs the office of resisting the thrust inward of the point of the web 6, and as the excess of leverage is so much in favor of the chair a much narrower proportionate surface is suffi cient on the inside to hold the rail down-not only to hold the rail down, but also to resist the inward thrust of the fillet of the web 6 by the inside partor keeper,G,0f the chair. This reduction in width of the part G by thus permitting the cutting off of a very much smaller part of the web for the entrance of the chair also reduces cost, while not impairing to so great an extent the strength of the rail as if more metal were sheared away.

The respective forms of the heads of the rails shown are indicated on the drawings by the letters A and E, and the two forms of fillets at the bottoms of the webs by the letters a and e. The chairs are indicated by the letter O, and the point of contact between the chair in Fig. 3 and the rail A, at which the upper splicebar fit takes place, is indicated by the letter 0.

Having thus fully described my said rail and rail chair joint as of my invention, I claim- 1. lhe combination of a girder-rail having a filleted web and a rail-chair therefor conformed to make a sliding fit over said web and and for the purposes set forth.

2. A chair for girder-rails conformed to make a sliding fit in one piece upon the filleted web of a girder-rail, and cut away on one side, as at G, to provide a narrower keeper on said side, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

3. A girder-rail provided with a filleted Web having its lower part or fillet cut away at one or more points, as described, whereby the rail is adapted to be secured without bolts or rivets to chairs having sliding fits, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

ARTHUR J. MOXHAM.

Witnesses:

ROBT. W. WELoH, W. E. Hoorns. 

